The Maserati Levante is a Radical Departure for the Supercar Manufacturer

The age of the SUV is upon us, and it has been for quite some time. For at least the past ten years, SUVs have been selling like crazy, surpassing even the mainstream sedans and popular hatchbacks. And although they’ll manage just fine, the luxury automotive segment was surprised by the long-lasting SUV craze. These high-end SUVs offer a more commanding seating position and higher ride height, leaving passengers with the feeling of riding in a classic limousine. They know the way to the top these days is in an SUV.

Companies like VW or Audi never had to worry about this issue. They’ve had the Touareg and Q7 for as long as the segment has existed, but smaller, more exclusive manufacturers like Maserati had difficulty keeping up with the rest of the world. Thankfully, it seems they finally caught up with the Levante, a brand new luxury high-end SUV. The weight of Maserati’s future, then, rests on this leviathan.

A Maserati SUV concept isn’t exactly new. The idea has been present for over ten years, with the first Kubang concept designed by Guigiaro in 2003, but they never got around to actually making it. Like all good things that take time, the Maserati Levante arrived with sweet perfection, but it delivers on all fronts.

The Maserati Levante – a Ferrari-Engined Beast

It uses the same V6 twin-turbo Ferrari-derived engine found in other Maserati applications. Here, it develops 345 hp in base form and 430 in Levante S iteration. There’s also a 3.0-liter diesel with 275 horsepower. They all utilize an eight-speed automatic transmission which is fast and precise. It can sprint to 62 mph in just 5.1 seconds, an impressive time for such a large SUV. Its secret? It’s light, and it uses adjustable air suspension.